Latest news with #6News'
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
Lawyer breaks down Savannah Grace Copeland Act as Powell teen murder case continues
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — It's been six months since Savannah Copeland was found dead along a trail in Powell. In this week's Ask Isaacs, 6 News' Lori Tucker and Attorney Greg Isaacs discuss the bill passed by the Tennessee General Assembly in Copeland's honor and the criminal case of the teen accused in her death. On Tuesday, the Savannah Grace Copeland Act passed the Tennessee Senate after passing in the state House of Representatives Monday. The bill sought to increase funding for child advocacy. After Copeland's death, her parents have openly advocated for mental health reform and support for children who suffer from trauma. Parents of slain teen advocate for mental health reform as suspect appears in court As this change at the state level develops, the 15-year-old accused of killing 13-year-old Copeland in October 2024 is continuing to move through the justice system. He was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. In the days following Copeland's body being discovered on a trail in the Broadacres subdivision, Judge Timothy E. Irwin decided to release the name of the suspect, identifying him as Malakiah Lamar Harris. In November 2024, state prosecutors revealed they were seeking to try Harris as an adult. An initial transfer hearing was scheduled for January 14, 2025, but a judge rescheduled the hearing for January 20-23, 2026 at a hearing on April 22, 2025. Harris' lawyers said during the hearing on Tuesday that they are consulting with mental health experts. A status hearing has been scheduled for July 2025. Powell teen murder case: Lawyer explains judge's decision to disclose suspect's name According to the Isaacs Law Firm, a juvenile case may be transferred to criminal court in certain circumstances, based on the age of the juvenile and the crime they are accused of. For first- and second-degree murder, a juvenile case can be transferred for juvenile defendants who are under the age of 14 or between the ages of 14 and 17. If you have a legal question, send it to AskIsaacs@ To watch full episodes of Ask Isaacs, click here. WATE's Lori Tucker and Attorney Greg Isaacs answer your legal questions from the WATE Alert Desk on Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. and on WATE Channel 6 at 5:30 p.m. Ask Isaacs is also streamed live on WATE6+. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
Where is the line between murder and self-defense? Lawyer breaks down case of Texas track meet stabbing
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A Texas teen is facing a murder charge after a stabbing at a track meet left another teen dead, but there is a debate of if the stabbing was in self-defense. In This week's Ask Isaacs, 6 News' Lori Tucker and Attorney Greg Isaacs discuss the case, and the legal line between self-defense and murder. The stabbing allegedly took place at a high school track meet in suburban Dallas on April 2, the Associated Press reported. One 17-year-old, identified as Karmelo Anthony, was taken into custody, and the student who was killed was identified as Austin Metcalf, 17. Search underway for missing teens after police pursuit in Loudon County News Nation reported that Metcalf and Anthony were at a track meet when Metcalf told Anthony he needed to get out from under the team's tent. Anthony allegedly reached into his bag and responded with 'Touch me and see what happens.' News Nation continued to explain that Metcalf then grabbed Anthony and told him to move, and then Anthony allegedly pulled out a knife, stabbed Metcalf once in the chest and ran, per a police report. Anthony is facing a 1st degree felony murder charge, according to the Frisco Police Department, and is being held on a $1 million bond. ABC news reported that Anthony told officers that Metcalf 'put his hands on [him}' and that he told him not to, and asked officers if what happened 'could be considered self-defense.' Pigeon Forge police warn visitors ahead of 2025 Spring Rod Run If you have a legal question, send it to AskIsaacs@ To watch full episodes of Ask Isaacs, click here. WATE's Lori Tucker and Attorney Greg Isaacs answer your legal questions from the WATE Alert Desk on Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. and on WATE Channel 6 at 5:30 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Yahoo
AI in the legal world: Lawyer discusses controversial video of Sumner County suspect ‘talking'
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — As technology continues to develop, law enforcement agencies are always looking for new ways to find those responsible for crimes, but when does artificial intelligence cross legal lines? In this week's Ask Isaacs, 6 News' Lori Tucker and Attorney Greg Isaacs discuss a controversial case where AI was used to make a suspect's photo 'talk.' Last week, the Sumner County Sheriff's Office posted a video that used artificial intelligence to make a photo of a man who was wanted for felony evading arrest 'talk.' The AI video tells people it is 'crazy' that the man is on the sheriff's office's 'Wanted Wednesday' post and then shares how the public can report the man to law enforcement. What is a green card? Lawyer breaks down Mahmoud Khalil case The post has since been updated to only have a photo of the suspect, adding that he has been captured. Although the video may be troubling to some people, the Isaacs Law Firm reports that AI use is largely unregulated in the legal realm currently. Just last year, a judge declined to sanction Michael Cohen and his lawyer after it was discovered that some of the case citations that were submitted in a motion were generated by AI. In February, a judge fined three lawyers, two of whom worked for the national law firm Morgan & Morgan, for citing fake cases that were generated by artificial intelligence in a court filing, Reuters and other outlets reported. According to the Isaacs Law Firm, a recent survey by the American Bar Association found that 30% of responding law firms said they utilized AI in 2024. ChatGPT was the most popular AI tool used by law firms, but the Westlaw and Lexis AI tools have also been gaining popularity, the law firm added. How does an insanity defense work? Lawyer breaks down former Kentucky sheriff's case If you have a legal question, send it to AskIsaacs@ To watch full episodes of Ask Isaacs, click here. WATE's Lori Tucker and Attorney Greg Isaacs answer your legal questions from the WATE Alert Desk on Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. and on WATE Channel 6 at 5:30 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What is a green card? Lawyer breaks down Mahmoud Khalil case
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — With the case of a Columbia University graduate making national headlines, some may be left wondering what a green card is or how someone who is a 'permanent resident' can be deported. In this week's Ask Isaacs, 6 News' Lori Tucker and Attorney Greg Isaacs discuss the Mahmoud Khalil case. In the United States, a green card, or what is sometimes called a 'permanent resident card' allows someone who is not a citizen to live and work permanently in the U.S., according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Some of the common individuals who are eligible for green cards include: Spouses of a U.S. citizen Academic professionals Religious workers International media broadcasters Asylees (people seeking asylum) or refugees Victims of crime or human trafficking. In the case of Mahmoud Khalil, he came to the United States under a student visa in 2022 to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Columbia. In 2023, he married his wife, who is a U.S. citizen, and became a legal permanent resident last year. What to know about Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia protester arrested by ICE and facing deportation Khalil was detained by U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Saturday, March 11 in upper Manhattan. The agency has since accused Khalil of leading 'activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.' One of the perplexing points of the case is that agents told Khalil's pregnant wife that he was being detained because his student visa had been revoked, and that his green card was also revoked, a lawsuit from Khalil's attorneys filed challenging his detention claims. While Khalil has not been charged with a crime, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday that the administration is moving to deport him through a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act that gives the secretary of state the power to deport a noncitizen on foreign policy grounds. Khalil was a leading pro-Palestinian activist at Columbia University, President Donald Trump has argued on social media that Khalil is a 'Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student.' How does an insanity defense work? Lawyer breaks down former Kentucky sheriff's case Generally, green card holders can be deported if they are convicted of certain crimes, such as using or abusing drugs, failing to advise immigration authorities of a change of address within 10 days of the move, or providing material support to a terrorist group. The Isaacs Law Firm explains that they can also be deported without a criminal convictions if they are proven to abuse drugs or be addicts. Some convictions are also grounds for a person's green card to be revoked and for them to be deported. Those offenses include: Aggravated felonies – such as murder, drug trafficking or rape Crimes involving 'moral turpitude' or that are considered 'immoral, unethical or [an] unjust departure from ordinary social standards' – such as fraud, theft, or assault Any firearm offense Trafficking Or crimes of domestic violence, stalking, violation of a protective order, or child abuse, neglect or abandonment. Lawyer explains new charges against 2023 Sweetwater shooting victim's mother If you have a legal question, send it to AskIsaacs@ To watch full episodes of Ask Isaacs, click here. WATE's Lori Tucker and Attorney Greg Isaacs answer your legal questions from the WATE Alert Desk on Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. and on WATE Channel 6 at 5:30 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Yahoo
How does an insanity defense work? Lawyer breaks down former Kentucky sheriff's case
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Counsel for a former Kentucky sheriff who has been accused of fatally shooting Letcher County District Judge Kevin Mullins has filed a notification that they are preparing to use an insanity defense. In this week's Ask Isaacs, 6 News' Lori Tucker and Attorney Greg Isaacs discuss the case and how insanity defenses work. On September 19, former Letcher County Kentucky Sheriff Shawn 'Mickey' Stines was accused of shooting Mullins multiple times after an argument in Mullins' courthouse chambers. The shooting happened just days after Stines was deposed in a federal lawsuit that alleged a deputy sheriff forced a woman to have sex in Mullins' chambers for six months in exchange for staying out of jail. Lawyer breaks down potential future charges against Sean Williams after 95-year sentence It is still unclear exactly what the argument was about, but surveillance video captured the shooting without sound. Prosecutors played approximately 10 seconds of during a probable cause hearing. The video also reportedly showed Stines making a phone call and then using Mullins' phone to make a call, both of which were made to Stines' daughter, a Kentucky State Police detective testified. Following the shooting, Stine was charged with first-degree murder and indicted on one count of murder of a public official. He pleaded not guilty the charge. In the weeks following the shooting, Stines announced his retirement after 22 years as Letcher County sheriff following a letter from Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear stating that if Stines did not take action, he would be removed from his position. Although it is difficult, approximately 30 defendants successfully plead insanity every year, according to the Isaacs Law Firm. In Tennessee, a not guilty by reasonable insanity verdict in especially difficulty. Tennessee also has the concept of diminish capacity, which is not a defense, but is rather used to attack the prosecution's proof of intent and show that the defendant was not capable of formulating the intent required to commit the crime they are charged with. Kentucky sheriff reportedly shoots judge: A look at the timeline, investigation While the insanity defense is very similar between Kentucky and Tennessee, Kentucky offers an additional verdict of guilty but mentally ill that requires the defendant to receive the same sentence as a guilty verdict while also receiving treatment, the Isaacs Law Firm explains. If you have a legal question, send it to AskIsaacs@ To watch full episodes of Ask Isaacs, click here. WATE's Lori Tucker and Attorney Greg Isaacs answer your legal questions from the WATE Alert Desk on Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. and on WATE Channel 6 at 5:30 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
